In modern medicine, much importance is naturally placed on preventing the spread of infection to medical practitioners through contact with the body fluids of patients. Surgical masks to protect the nose and mouth of the wearer have long been used for this purpose. Surgical mask constructions generally are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,419,993 (Petersen); 4,969,457 (Hubbard et al.); 4,920,960 (Hubbard et al.); 3,834,384 (Raines); and Reissue. 28,102 (Mayhew). More recently improvements to such surgical masks have included the provision of transparent thermoplastic film eye shields attached to the mask for protecting the wearer's eyes as well. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,944,294 (Borek, Jr.); U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,020,533 and 5,150,703 (Hubbard et al); and PCT Application PCT/US89/01629 (Russell) disclose face masks with visors or eye shields attached to the masks.
However, a problem arises in connection with such masks with eye shields, namely the difficulty of packaging them for distribution to the end user. The transparent polymeric material of the eye shields, and especially some optical coatings which might be applied to them to enhance the wearer's vision, can be highly vulnerable to abrasion during shipping and handling. Abrasion to the eye shield portion of the mask compromises clear vision, which is essential to the health care practitioner. Known methods of packaging surgical masks, such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No 4,269,315 (Boyce), entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING STERILE SURGICAL MASKS," would not protect the transparent film of an attached eye shield. There is a need for an inexpensive package which will protect the eye shields from abrasion during shipping and handling and permit the ready dispensing of the surgical masks.